Lake area men among those to be honored by Governor

The first-ever observance of Vietnam Veterans Day in Missouri will be held on Saturday, March 30, as a day to give special recognition to veterans of the Vietnam conflict. Last summer, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law a bill designating March 30 of each year as the day to give special honor to Vietnam veterans.

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The Lake News Online

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Posted Mar. 29, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Updated Mar 29, 2013 at 11:32 AM

Posted Mar. 29, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Updated Mar 29, 2013 at 11:32 AM

The first-ever observance of Vietnam Veterans Day in Missouri will be held on Saturday, March 30, as a day to give special recognition to veterans of the Vietnam conflict. Last summer, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law a bill designating March 30 of each year as the day to give special honor to Vietnam veterans.

As part of the recognition, the Governor will hold a ceremony at his Capitol office recognizing four military veterans, one each representing service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Those veterans will be presented with special service medals, coins and certificates authorized by the state of Missouri for those who served during the Vietnam War.

The veterans being honored are Stephen Hill, of Webb City, (Army); John Albright, Sunrise Beach (Navy); Michael Puckett, Camdenton (Air Force); and David Coleman, House Springs (Marines). Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, Adjutant General of Missouri, will join the Governor in recognizing those veterans. The ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m.

"These four veterans represent the thousands of men and women who bravely served our country during a difficult time in our nation's history," Gov. Nixon said. "Most times, they returned home to no public celebrations or welcomes - something we as a country should not have let happen. This day in Missouri is part of the renewed, ongoing effort to give the proper recognition due to those veterans, and to again thank them for their service and sacrifice."

On Tuesday of this week (March 26), Missouri observed the first-ever Veterans of Operation Iraqi/Enduring Freedom Day in honor of the nation's military veterans who served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. That date was designated in another state law enacted last year.